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Experimental aerial application of forest tent caterpillar baculovirus

Document Type

Article

Journal/Book Title/Conference

Information Report, Northern Forest Research Centre, Canada

Issue

No. NOR-X-240

First Page

5

Last Page

9

Publication Date

1982

Abstract

Infestations of the forest tent caterpillar (Malacosoma disstria Hübner) on aspen (Populus tremuloides Michaux) in Alberta were subjected to small-scale experimental aerial applications of a nuclear polyhedrosis virus in 1978-80. In 1978 a range of dosages was applied when most of the larvae were in the second instar. The higher dosages gave significant increases in early and mid-season larval mortality. In 1979 two dosages were applied to the eggs, first-instar larvae, and third- to fourth-instar larvae. Both dosages increased mortality throughout the larval period when applied to the eggs and increased· early and mid-season mortality when applied to first-instar larvae. Only mid-season larval mortality was increased when third- to fourthinstar larvae were treated. In 1980 high dosages were applied when the larvae were in the first and second instars and gave significant increases in early, mid-season, and late larval mortality. Some of the above treatments increased total larval mortality by as much as 30%, but none provided any foliage protection. The virus appeared to carry over to subsequent generations in an area that had been treated with a hydraulic sprayer in 1976 but did not carry over in areas sprayed from the air in 1978-80.

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